Amitabh Bachchan summoned by Goa court in a tobacco-ad case

Panaji, Nov 22 (UNI) Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan and four others have been summoned by a first class judicial magistrate's court here, to appear before it on November 29, in connection with a case filed by an NGO alleging violation of anti-tobacco laws.

The NGO, National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE), had filed a case in January last, objecting to a hoarding of a film 'Family', in which Mr Bachchan is depicted smoking a cigar.

The general secretary of the NGO, Dr Shekhar Salkar today said that the ad has violated section 190(1)(a) of the criminal procedure code and section 7 of the Goa Prohibition of Smoking and Spitting Act, 1997.

Though Mr Bachchan had earlier apologised for the ''offensive'' ad, and promised its prompt removal when NOTE brought it to his notice, the hoarding was not removed till February this year, he pointed out.

Later, the hoarding was removed only in Goa. The hoarding continued to be displayed in all other parts of the country.

It is therefore likely that the student community and youth would be misguided and motivated to start smoking due to the influence of the ad, which depicts an icon of Mr Bachchans stature smoking, he lamented.

The others summoned included Keshu Ramsay, director of the film, his company DMS Films private limited, Anchor Daewoo India and AB Corp ltd.

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